Racing Seats

[bcarter]

I have a Cobra seat in the car now, and after two days of racing on our home track, which has a lot of left turns, I am sore as hell, and have a good size bruise on my right side. I need a seat with better grip on my torso from under the armpits. The seat I have came with the car, so it is not really the right size I guess.

Any suggestions as to what brand.

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G. Brooke Carter
Wheat Buckley Racing
# 10 Challenge Car
2003 Class Champion
Calgary, Alberta

[lateapex911]

I have MOMO Rookie (Starter now?) and is muy comfortable.

I did a three hour enduro myself last year and while I wsa a bit tired, no coreness or bruises.

Plus its so comfy to sleep in...

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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[Boswoj]

Hi BC, how you doing?

I am a bit over 6', but have a REAL long torso and short legs so I sit really high in the car. I got a Kirkey intermediate seat and mounted it directly to the floorpan to give myself maximum headroom. They make them in a variety of widths so you can find one that is snug but comfortable, and the wraparound sections up under the arms really work with the belts to keep you in place without having to work at it. I noticed that I was considerably smoother with the Kirkey because the tension from bracing myself against the steering wheel had really gone out of my arms and I was able to save that energy for steering inputs.

Rick

[This message has been edited by Boswoj (edited June 02, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by Boswoj (edited June 03, 2004).]

[bcarter]

Hey Rick, I coulda written that myself...I'm 6 foot, with a 30" inseam...long body, and shorter legs. The Cobra seat also has the slots for the shoulder belts a little too low, so when I really crank the belts down, I tend to submarine a bit in the seat. I often find, in a long race, that the base of my back isn't right up against the seat, and I'm a bit slumped, due to the belts pushing me down. Right on about the stress of bracing...I already have the seat on the floor pan, same reason.

I'll check out the Kirkeys.

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G. Brooke Carter
Wheat Buckley Racing
# 10 Challenge Car
2003 Class Champion
Calgary, Alberta

[Boswoj]

OK - I buy pants with a 30" inseam, but they are long. Im closer to 29" - and it's a trait that every male in my family shares, with my younger brother having even shorter legs than mine!

Anyway, enough about my anatomy - Kirkey makes some really good seats that are designed specifically for roadracing, and kind of pricey, but I am a bit low budget for that kind of thing. I found that their intermediate seat paired with a simple seatback brace was very affordable, well made, and held me in place with minimal effort. I also weigh about <ahem> well....... a ton, and have had zero problems with flex or distortion. I'm very happy with it.

Rick

[ddewhurst]

Brooke, I also have a Kirkey intermediate seat mounted to the floor. For my 2 cents worth one wants to fit a race car just like one must fit a Kart. You want your body to be one with the race car, ya need to feel everything as a unit. 6 foot, 32 inch inseam @ 195. Ya can roll the deals in at your ribs for a more secure fit. Yup, I know the down side of the dealys under the ribs. Busted 5 ribs & the shoulder blade going on my head in a Kart. The only thing I don't understand about the seat is why they make the belt slot for the shoulder harnes so narrow. Might that be their design for a Y harness as compared to the two strap single harness ?
Anyway the two strap harness bunch up because of the narrow slot & my neck ain't that wide.

Have Fun
David

[Boswoj]

D-Dew -

How old is your intermediate? Seems like my slot is wide enough, even including my big 'ol neck. I wonder if that has changed, or if there are different models of the intermediate seat?

Rick

[ddewhurst]

Rick, bought it in the summer of 1999.

Have Fun
David

[joeg]

I know money can be a factor, but you simply cannot beat a Recaro--for any car.

[miketrier]

You can enlarge the holes for the shoulder harness on the Kirkey intermediate a bit to raise the holes if needed and glue on some split hose to cover the sharp edge.

[C. Ludwig]

I also have the Kirkey intermediate and love it. Mounted mine directly to floor as well. Purchased the extra braces they sell for shoulder braces. Keeps me in place and I never feel uncomfortable. The proper sizing is key.

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Chris Ludwig
08 ITS RX7 CenDiv

[Rex B]

Add my vote for the Kirkey Intermediate. At about $200 it's a bargain. I use the 17" size. I'm 6'4", long of limb, short of torso, 200 lbs. In a 1st gen RX7, I welded a 1-inch square tube bridge between the stock seat mount pads, which leaves the bottom of the tube about 1/4" off the floor. I drill two holes through the seat bottom, both tubes, and floorpan, with additional holes for adjustability. Use spacer washers between floorpan and tube. Tube also serves to mount the anti-sub belt. I/O Port or similar seatback brace.
I do like the rib bolsters. I have mine wrapped pretty tight, so I'm pretty well socketed into the car.
Even with my long legs, I have plenty of room with this setup. In fact, I moved the seat forward an inch this season, and it help with fatigue quite a bit.

[Dick Elliott]

Kirleys are the way to. My only change was to use the up right model mounted to the floor and leaned back untill the seat back was at 20 degs. This makes the section under your butt also at an angle and is much more comfortable (to me any way). With a reguar 20 deg lay back I always felt like I was going to slide foward in the seat.